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Monday, August 1, 2011

The Ship “John and Sara” Prisoners of War, 1651

In 1650 the Scots sided with the monarchy in the
English Civil War, and fought against the Puritans in the Battle of
Worcester. Thousands were captured as
prisoners of war, and forced to march to London. Oliver Cromwell sent these undesirables to
the New World to be sold into forced servitude.
They died at a rate of about 30 a day until the ships left London, when
the first ship “Unity” left with 150 prisoners.
The second ship was the “John and Sara” and it carried 272 men to
Boston.

Some of the men of the “John and Sara” were sold to
work at hard labor at the Saugus Ironworks, and others to sawmills in New
Hampshire and Maine. The average length
of servitude was 6 to 8 years. They were
sold by Thomas Kemble of Charlestown to the highest bidders. This statement of goods recorded on 8
November 1651 gives us the passenger list for the “John and Sara”. The Gaelic names of some of the prisoners
were written phonetically by the British, for example Saint Clair became Sinkler,
Forbes became Furbush, etc. which are surnames still found in New England.

My ancestor, William Munroe, is the Monrow listed
below with the torn first name. He
arrived with at least one brother and was sold into servitude in Menotony, now
Arlington, Massachusetts, to millwright John Adams. He
first appears on the records in Cambridge in 1657 as receiving a fine for not
having a ring in the nose of his pig. By
1660 he had settled in Cambridge Farms, which is now known as Lexington. He was a freeman in 1690. His grandsons and great grandsons fought in
the Battle of Lexington Green.

London this 11th : of
November 1651:
Capt. Jn'o GREENE
Wee whose names are vnder written freighters of your shipe the John
& Sarah doe Order yow forthwith as winde & weather shall
permitt to sett sajle for Boston in New England & there deliver our Orders
& Servants to Tho : KEMBLE of charles Toune to be disposed of by him
according to the orders wee have sent him in that behafe & wee desire yow
to Advise with the sajd KEMBLE about all that may concerne that whole Intended
vojage using your Indeavors with the sajd KEMBLE for the speediest lading your
shipp from N.E. fit for the West Indies where yow are to deliver them to Mr.
Charles RICH to be disposed of by him for the Joinet accout of the freighters
& so to be retourned home in a stocke undevided thus desiring your Care
& industrje in Dispatch & speed of the vojage wishing you a happy &
safe Retourne wee remajne your loving freinds

Jo : BEEX
Robt RICH
Willjam GREEN

Signatum & Recognitum in pnica -- Jo : NOTTOCK notar Publ:

Entred & Recorded at the Instant Request of the said Mr. Tho : KEMBLE. Edw:
RAWSON Recorder, 13 May 1652

A list of the passengers abord the John & Sarah of London
John GREENE mr bound for New England:--

Donald ROYE

James MOORE

Walter JACKSON

Michaell FFOSSEM

Daniell SIMSON

John ROSSE

Sander MILLESON

Daniell MONLOW

Henry BROUNELL

James FARSASON

Alester LOWE

Daniell HOGG

Hugh MACKEY

Daniel MACKANNELL

John CROOME

John MACKLUDE

Dan : MACKWELL

----- MACKUNNELL

John HUDSON

John MACKHOLME

John BEME

----- MORE

John GRAG

Robert MONROW

Hill MACKIE

John MACKDONELL

Allester MACKNESTER

John EDMINSTEIRE

Wm. BANES

Patrick JONES

Andrew WILSON

Baniell MONWILLIAM

John MACKENTHOW

John JAMNELL

David MACKHOME

Mortel MACKJLUDE

Salamon SINCLARE

John GURDEN

Wm. MACKEN

John CRAGON

John GRAUNT

Alestre MACKRORE

Daniel MACKENDOCKE

Gellust MACKWILLIAM

James MILWARD

Wm. DELL

James MICKNAB

Glester MACKTOMAS

Almister MACKALINSTEN

John COEHON

Robert JENLER

Edward DULEN

John HOGG

James MICKELL

John MACKALESTER

Daniell MACKNELL

Patrick JIMSON

John HANOMAN

Andrew JERRIS

James JACKSON

Patricke TOWER

Wm. MACKANNELL

Dani-- MACKAJNE

Senly MACKONNE

James ENGLISH

Dan--- MACKENNELL

John MACKEY

Danniell GUNN

James ROSS

John WILSON

David JELLER

George QUENNE

John JENLER

John WOODELL

George PERRY

John MONROW

Wm. CLEWSTON

Daniell MACKHAN

Alester MACKHENE

Alester SIMSON

Richard JACKSON

James CARNELL

Dan : MARTJN

John HOGG

John ROBINSON

John ROSSE

John ROSSE

Hugh MONROW

Thomas BEREERE

Simon RUSSELL

John MORRE

Edward PUNN

Sannder MORROT

Wm. FFRESSELL

John BOYE

John BUCKANEN

Patricke MORTON

Dan(i)ell MAKALESTER

James MICHELL

Sander MACKDO(N)ELL

James GURNER

Wm. TELLER

Origlais MACKFARSON

Nicholas WALLIS

John MURROW

Robert HIGBEN

John MACKHELLIN

Allester -----

Dan : MACKHELLIN

----- --------

Charles LESTEN

Wm. STEWART

John MORRE

Edward FFRESSELL

David HINNE (?)

Daniell BLACKE

Daniell SESSOR

Patricke MACKHATHERNE

Alexander TOMPSON

Danell KEMPER

Daniell HOW

John BROW

---- -------

Henry MACK----

John ROBINSON

Daniell ------

Patricke ------

Patricke ------

----- -------

----- (MAC)KFARSON

----- MACKLYNE

----- MONROW

---ster MACKNELL

Daniell ROBINSON

(J)ames SHONE

John ANDERSON

James GRAUNT

Patricke CROSSHONE

John GRANT

John SCOTT

Dan : GORDON

Dan : ROSS

John HOGG

Partick MANN

Ansell SHERRON

James ROSS

David HAMILTON

Patricke MACKNEILE

David ROSSE

Amos QUERNE

Alestre HUME

Neile JOHNSON

Alester RALLENDRA

Rory HAMILTON

James ROBINSON

David BUKANON

David STERLING

Daniell MACKNITH

Rob't MACKFARSON

Mw. MUNCKRELL

Neile CAMELL

Semell MACKNETH

John MACKANE

Dan SHURON

Rory MACHY

Patrick GRAUNT

Particke HARRON

James ROWE

Sander SIMSON

James GORDEN

Charles ROBINSON

Alester ROBINSON

Patricke ROBERSON

Alester GRAUNT

Neile MACKETH

Patricke MACKNITH

Daniell MACKNITH

James HEDERICKE

James MACKHELL

John CURMICKHELL

Havid HUME

Patrick MACKTRETH

David ANDERSON

Wm. BEAMES

David MONWILLJAM

John STERLING

John MANN

Wm. DENGELL

Daniell MANN

Sander MACKCUNNELL

Cana MACKURNALL

Patricke MACKANE

Ansel SOTHERLAND

Sander MILLER

James PATTISON

Alexander GRAUNT

Thomas GRAUNT

Neile CARTER

Dan : MACKUEILE

John SHENNE

Robt. MACKAJNE

Dan : HUDSON

Neile MURROW

Jahn CANNELL

Evan TILER

Jonas MURROW

Alester MACKHELE

Edward DENGLE

James KALLENDER

Jonas ROSS

Neile MACKHONE

James GRAUNT

David TENLER

James MACKALLY

Wm. MACKAJNE

Alester TOOTH

Austin STEWART

Laughlell MONTROSSE

Wm. MACKONTOSS

Neile MACKAJNE

James MACKREITH

John MACKREITH

John MACKFORSEN

James HAMILTON

John GRAUNT

James MURROW

Wm. CARMACKHELL

James MACKNEILE

Samuell MACKAJNE

Dan : GRAUNT

Cha : STEWART

Neile STEWART

David MARKETH

David JAMESON

Dan SIMSON

George HUME

James CROCKFORD

David KALLENDER

David PATTERSON

Alester ANDERSON

Patricke SMISON

Rob't BOY

John WILSON

Patricke JACAON

Wm. MACKAJNE

Dan : MACKHOE

Dan : MACKAJNE

Alester ROSS

Neile MUCKSTORE

Wm. MACKANDRA

John BOYE

Wm. GRAUNT

James GRAUNT

Henry SMITH

Wm. HIDRECKE

Cana MACKTENTHA

Niele HOGG

Rob't MACKHANE

Rob't STEWART

David SIMSON

Laughteth GORDON

Neile JAMESON

Patrick ENGLISH

James BENNE

David MILWARD

Wm. ANDERSON

Sander MACKEY

Patrick SOTHERLAND

Daniel ONEALE

John WOODALL

Christopher WILSON

John MURROW

The persons afore named passed from hence in the ship afore
mentioned and are according to order Registed heare.
Dat. Search office, Gravesend, 8th November, 1651
Giles BARROW
Edw : PELLING
John MORRIS - Searchers

11 comments:

I have one such ancestors Henry Merrow who isn't on the list (per se) who married Jane Lindes, the widow of Nicholas Wallis who is on the list. Merrow could be Murrow or some other equivalent.

My problem with lists such as this is my common sense. There are an awful lot of names on that list. How many? What was the capacity of the average ship in 1651? If the Mayflower held 102 people, is 150 possible (for prisoners of war?).

Possibly there were several ships and this is a list of prisoners put on more than one ship.

Martin, I agree and disagree with you. That is a lot of people, but they were cargo. Were they packed in like people were in slave ships? Were they in chains? Who knows? The document states "John and Sara" but was in implicit that this was the name of a fleet and not one ship? That's a good question. And how do you know Henry Merrow was on this ship and not the Unity or some other ship that arrived later in 1651 or 1652?

I guess he could be. I am the genealogist who could give a rat's ass about which ship his ancestors were on. I've never understood the mystique. Naturally, NEHGS asked me to write the definitive guides on passenger ship records for the 17th, 18th and 19th century which are still on their website. Go figure. I meant that Henry Merrow was a Scottish prisoner.

Hi! Very nicely done! My direct ancestor was on the Unity. Are you aware of the Yahoo group for the descendants of the Scottish Prisoners of War? We now have a blog/website just started this week! www.scottishprisonersofwar.com I would like to have you join our group. My personal email address is read2befree@yahoo.com

My direct ancestors, John and Sarah Cragin, were on the ship and supposedly met on it and were married after arrival in Saugus. He is listed as "John Crag." Quite the coincidence that the ship bore their names. The line that led to me ended up in Maine. The info came from the geneaologic work, "Embden, Town of Yore," which describes the history of the Maine towns of Embden and Anson. Thanks so much for the work and for posting this. I visited the Saugus Historic Site a few years back and it was quite an experience. Here's the website--http://www.nps.gov/sair/index.htm

I am a McFarland and I am trying to connect my line back to Scotland. I really believe that I could be a descendant of Purdie MacFarland (so many variant spellings of course) on the Unity ship. I'm not sure what other way to contact you than this. Any info you have would be great! Thanks!

Very interesting. I have several that were shipped over by Cromwell. Our Munroe connection and then I'm also connected with the Furbish who came and ended in Maine. I'm wondering about the Thompson you mentioned. I have a Miles who I think (?) may have been the son of David. Was your David connected with Thompson island in Boston Harbor? Miles also ended up in York area of Maine.

Polly, I'm descended of David Thomson (the original settler at Odiorne Point, and from his son Miles, too. And I'm also descended of the Alexander Thompson on the list of Scots Prisoners. Two different Thompson lines.

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About Me

Author of the Nutfield Genealogy blog and occasional genealogy speaker. My family research includes Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, with a smattering of Nova Scotia. Please contact me if you see your ancestors on this blog. I would love to share information. I am the former secretary of the New Hampshire Mayflower Society, former President of the Londonderry Historical Society, member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, the Mass. Society of Genealogists, The National Genealogical Society, and the New Hampshire Society of Genealogists.